Sweetgum

This morning as I ambled along, I looked in awe at all the Sweetgum trees.  They turn golden yellow in the fall.  I’m sure they are a hardy species because they are so plentiful.  A Sweetgum tree is not one an older lady would want in their yard.  Those Sweetgum balls are stumbling blocks and a hard fall often results in a broken hip.  They are pretty from afar.  Sweetgum trees are ancient.  The fossil was created by Sweetgum leaf in Italy.  The “gum” is very safe to chew and was once actually used in chewing gum.  The biggest claim to fame for the Sweetgum is it’s bark, leaves, and infertile seeds contain a shikimic acid, which is the primary ingredient in Tamiflu, a flu medicine.   Old timers chewed the gum thinking it helped sciatica.  What a beautiful beneficial tree💛💛